Rural Studies – Multidisciplinary Master´s

ProgramMarja Kerttu Kurkela

Study Planner

UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKIRuralia Institute

Lönnrotinkatu 7, FIN-50100 MikkeliTel: + 358 (0)44 300 1293

E-mail: marja.k.kurkela@helsinki.fi

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The structure of the presentation

1. Establishing the Rural Studies Network 2. About the Rural Studies program as it is now3. Rural Studies “Philosophy” & Teaching in the Network4. Structure of the Rural Studies Programme5. The Students6. The difficulties and good practises7. The coordination of the network

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Establishing the Rural Studies Network

• a group of people who wished to promote the status and increase the number of university level education programmes in rural issues (year 2000) set as their goal the development of a study program realised through co-operation

• the importance of the network-based model was seen right from the start (there was some courses scattered in different universities, but no unite program)

• officially established in 2002 (in the beginning there were seven, now ten member universities)

• based on a contract between universities

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….continues

• After joining the EU there were more job opportunities in rural development projects

• The initiative of the program was included in the third Rural Policy Programme (years 2001 – 2004)

• Financing for the first year (2001) was received from Rural Policy Committee and after that the years 2002 – 2003 from European Social Fund (ESR)

• At the moment the programme is being financed by the Ministry of Education

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About the Rural Studies program as it is now

• a multidisciplinary program for graduate students interested in rural issues

• provided by a network of ten Finnish Universities

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…continues

• offers students specialised knowledge and understanding on rural change, development policies and practises, rural culture, environmental issues and also methodologies and latest trends in rural research

• while studying in the network, the students remain students of their home universities, where they also take their master’s degrees (This way the network is a true resource for the member universities)

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Rural Studies “Philosophy” & Teaching in the Network

• Lecturers are university teachers, experts in their in own fields of interest.

• The connections to the field are strong (people working in rural development, research and policy fields)

• Part of the teaching takes place in the countryside, and non-academic rural development specialists are invited to lecture, too

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….continues

• Distance learning (e-learning) is used in almost every course and many of the courses are held just via internet and in special web-based learning environments (eg. WebCT, Optima)

• In addition to formal knowledge, also learning development skills (the art of doing) is emphasised

• Studying together in groups (group work, role play etc.)

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Corner Stones of teaching in the programme

• Multidisciplinary

• Interaction between theory and practice

• Internationality (still on process)

• Multiformity of teaching (different methods)

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Structure of the Rural Studies Programme

Modules (each including 2-3 courses):

1. Introduction

2. Rural change

3. Research and development skills

4. Rural policies

5. Rural environmental issues

6. Rural cultures

7. Rural entrepreneurship

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The Students

– Graduate students from the member universities (from numerous disciplines, mainly geographers, but also natural sciences and humanities are represented)

– Rural Studies as a secondary subject (combining it with for example career of a journalist)

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Primary motives for applying in the programme

– Rural childhood and/or parents farmers, or self a farmer

– Dreams about living in the countryside some day

– The active people in the countryside who seek better understanding on the present and future challenges of the rural areas

– Students from the cities interested in environmental and rural topics (like myself for example)

• After finishing the studies the students are competent to work within rural development, rural research and rural policy. The employment rate of the graduated is high.

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The difficulties and good practices

The main difficulties

• The administration of the network in each university is complicated and registering the study points varies a lot in each university

• travelling to and accommodation at the different course places costs to the students

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Good practices

• Jointly produced network creates a more competent and qualitative structure to the program than none of the universities alone could develop

• Decentralised administration means that members are equal partners

• The human resources operating in the Rural Studies network consists of students, teachers, the network board and the coordination unit

• The programme offers the students the opportunity to tie important bonds already from their student days both to the academic and more practical rural development professionals

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The coordination of the network

• There is a representative from each member university in the board

• The board meets two times per year together and holds additionally meetings via Marratech-video conference systems when needed

• Also decisions can be made via email so the need for actual meetings for all the members around Finland is minimized

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Rural Studies Programme is coordinated by the Ruralia Institute where there is two fulltime and one half time employers,

Torsti Hyyryläinen, Network Director, DSc (Admin.)torsti.hyyrylainen@helsinki.fi+358-44-308 5322

Marja Kerttu Kurkela, Study Planner, BSc (Admin.)marja.k.kurkela@helsinki.fi +358-44-300 1293

Eeva Uusitalo, Programme Coordinator, MAeeva.uusitalo@helsinki.fi+358-44-336 6910

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Thank you for your attention!